Magic vs. Pacers prediction: NBA odds, picks, best bets

On Wednesday night, nan Indiana Pacers (3-4) will big nan Paolo Banchero-less Orlando Magic (3-5) successful an Eastern Conference matchup.

After securing an awesome roadworthy triumph complete Dallas, nan Pacers yet person their groove backmost aft a unsmooth 2-4 commencement to nan 2024-25 campaign.

Will Banchero’s absence beryllium nan quality successful this crippled aliases tin nan Magic widen their play bid lead to 2-0?

Magic vs. Pacers odds

Magic vs. Pacers prediction

(7:00 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass)

If you are an avid NBA fan, you astir apt don’t request to beryllium reminded astir what happened nan first clip these 2 teams faced disconnected connected Oct. 28.

Banchero decimated nan Pacers’ non-existent overgarment defense (23rd successful force points successful nan paint) en way to a 50-point, 13-rebound, nine-assist outing connected a sensational 16-for-26 shooting from nan field.

Tyrese Haliburton leads nan 3-4 Pacers connected Wednesday. NBAE via Getty Images

However, Banchero won’t beryllium capable to return nan level Wednesday nighttime owed to a torn oblique injury, which gives nan Pacers, a somewhat undersized team, a important break connected nan protect glass.

Indiana has nan second-worst protect rebounding percent successful nan league, which tin wounded it successful definite matchups, but nan Magic (sixth-worst OREB% successful their past 3 games) without Banchero is not 1 of those matchups.

Further, moreover aft posting 50 points connected 26 section extremity attempts, a singular feat, nan Magic still only squeezed retired a constrictive four-point triumph complete Indiana.

A Paolo-less Magic squad is tragic connected nan violative extremity of nan floor, which could not beryllium a amended business for nan Pacers, who were 2nd successful violative standing astatine Gainbridge past season.

Orlando can’t perchance people capable points to support up.

Franz Wagner must return connected a monolithic domiciled pinch Paolo Banchero. AP

Magic vs. Pacers Pick

Since losing Banchero, Orlando has stumbled, dropping each 3 of its games without him connected nan floor.

In that span, nan Magic person nan worst nett standing (-15.8), nan lowest effective section extremity percent (42.6%) by a wide separator (-6.2%) and nan worst 3-point percent (22.2%).

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Indiana holds opponents to nan fifth-lowest 3P% astatine Gainbridge Fieldhouse, truthful expect a sadistic 3-point-shooting nighttime from nan Magic. 

However, it wouldn’t beryllium astonishing if nan Pacers decided to battalion nan overgarment and unit Orlando to sprout a batch of 3s.

Either way, this matchup is sadistic for Orlando without Bachero.

Pick: Pacers -5.5 (-110, FanDuel)